Curling Canada | Farewell to the Iceman!
Curling Canada Corridor of Famer and two time world males’s champion Al Hackner set to retire from aggressive curling
After almost 5 many years of championship calibre play which noticed The Iceman win two world males’s curling championships, seem in 9 Briers and win a world senior curling silver medal, Al Hackner has determined to hold up his sneakers and name it a profession.
And although the subject of retirement has come up earlier than, Hackner says it’s for actual this time.
“I introduced in the beginning of the 12 months that this may be my final nationwide; that I wouldn’t be chasing them anymore,” stated Hackner in an interview on the 2022 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia on Thursday. “Nonetheless going to do league play and our Thunder Bay main league however no extra playdowns.”
The record of Hackner’s accolades are amongst a number of the greatest, rating him as a Canadian all-time nice and a Curling Canada Corridor of Fame inductee for each staff (1988) and particular person (1992) accomplishments. Hackner was the primary skip in Brier historical past to earn seven appearances on the males’s nationwide championship and as soon as held the all-time winningest skip title with 51 Canadian males’s nationwide victories. He would finish his Brier profession with 9 appearances, 62 wins and amassed almost 2000 stones thrown on the Brier alone.
His success spans from appearances within the Canadian Combined nationwide championship in 1977 with Alberta skip Don Sutton all the way in which to his present look representing his house province of Northern Ontario on the 2022 Everest Canadian Senior Males’s Curling Championship. He’s additionally the one skip to ever win a Brier, a Canadian senior males’s nationwide title and a Canadian masters curling title, a crown he claimed all however a couple of brief weeks in the past.
“That is my nineteenth nationwide,” laughed Hackner about his look at this 12 months’s Everest Canadian Senior Males’s Curling Championship. “I believe that’s sufficient. I felt that, you realize, in taking part in in these two nationals this 12 months simply ending the Masters a couple of weeks in the past, I’d end up with these and that’s a great way to exit.”
Alongside Hackner for his last tour of nationwide competitors on the 2022 Everest Canadian Senior Males’s Curling Championship are vice-skip Frank Morissette, second Rob Sinclair and lead Gary Champagne of the Fort William Curling Membership in Thunder Bay.
Sadly, the Northern Ontario foursome haven’t had the success they desired and discover themselves within the seeding pool carrying a 3-4 document after a Thursday afternoon 8-1 loss to Newfoundland & Labrador’s Keith Ryan (4-4; Labrador Metropolis)
Whatever the outcomes on the standings board, Hackner is retaining it gentle and having enjoyable on the competitors.
“Yeah, the ice is excellent. It’s numerous enjoyable to play on if you get numerous curl like this,” stated Hackner. “We’re having fun with the video games. We misplaced a pair robust ones earlier that might have put us within the Championship Pool, however you realize, the groups listed here are fairly good so not solely do it’s a must to play effectively, it’s a must to get your breaks too and we simply gave the impression to be on the improper facet of the inch. Right here we’re within the seeding pool.”
Whereas Hackner’s legacy was already cemented into the annals of historical past by the early Nineteen Nineties, Hackner nonetheless enjoys reflecting upon his influence on the sport of curling.
“I believe it’s good,” stated Hackner when requested about his generation-spanning affect on curling. “That’s one of many the reason why I stated I used to be going to pack it in. I’m fairly pleased and glad with what I’ve finished in curling and I nonetheless really feel very lucky to have been ready to do this for so long as I’ve finished and nonetheless proceed to play fairly good.”
Those that weren’t round throughout Hackner’s prime years within the 1980’s and 1990’s have probably heard of Hackner from his well-known tenth finish skinny double takeout within the 1985 Brier last in opposition to Alberta’s Pat Ryan to drive an additional finish. The shot could be deemed the “Hackner double” and is taken into account one of many best pictures in curling historical past. Hackner and his Northern Ontario rink would go on to steal the additional finish of the 1985 males’s nationwide last to assert the championship crown.
Although that one shot is actually recognizable, Hackner is pleased with his legacy which spans extra than simply that one second.
“It’s extra than simply the one shot,” stated Hackner. “It’s the 19 nationals, the 5 Canadian titles. That’s a legacy that anybody could be pleased with.”
Along with his impending retirement, Hackner was capable of share a few of his prime secret recommendation that allowed him to see an unprecedented and sustained degree of success on a curling sheet.
“It’s not straightforward, as a result of to start with, it’s a must to keep alive,” laughed Hackner when requested about his longevity and success. “It’s important to keep wholesome; preserve your knees and your again and every little thing. There’s numerous superb curlers that simply can’t play anymore as a result of their physique has given out.”
And although curling particular coaching might help, Hackner transitioned right into a two-sport athlete in his grownup years, which he credit for retaining his energy up.
“One of many issues that actually helped me out is I began taking part in hockey once more once I was 45.” stated Hackner about his success in staying match. “I play about three or 4 occasions every week. It retains me in form, it retains my legs sturdy and that’s a part of it.”
For an all-time nice roller like Hackner, it will be almost unimaginable to pin down a single greatest reminiscence of his profession and taking part in time, however he says lots of his off-ice reminiscences are wholly cherished too.
“All of the nationals are memorable, even those we didn’t do this effectively in,” stated Hackner. “However I simply beloved going to all of the completely different cities, and competing and all the buddies we’ve met over the many years. There’s numerous pals that I’m nonetheless involved with from completely different provinces and simply to have that, these reminiscences, with all my good buddies.”
Finally, Hackner looks like he’s going out on prime and, most significantly, on his personal phrases.
“I need to pull this retirement off whereas I’m nonetheless throwing it good,” stated Hackner. “Not as a result of I can’t win anymore, so I felt it was time.”
Hackner and his Northern Ontario rink will have fun his last nationwide championship match versus Prince Edward Island’s Phillip Gorveatt (4-4; Montague) on Friday at 2:00 p.m. (all occasions Atlantic).
Dwell scoring updates for the 2022 Everest Canadian Seniors can be found by clicking here. For occasion data, click here.
Video games from the 2022 Everest Canadian Senior Championships will probably be live-streamed on TSN.ca in addition to on Curling Canada’s YouTube channel. For the up-to-date broadcast schedule, click here.
